KR100947033B1 - Passive haptic module using paraffin, control method and haptic device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A passive haptic module using paraffin, a control method and a haptic device thereof are provided to supply a feeling using a phase change of paraffin. CONSTITUTION: Paraffin is included inside a chamber unit(110). At least one side of the chamber unit is flexible. A heater unit(150) supplies heat to the paraffin. A containing film(130) is included in the lower part of the chamber unit. The containing film contains pressing of the paraffin whose phase changes by heat supply of the heater unit or returns the paraffin to the inside of the chamber unit.

Description

Passive haptic module using paraffin, control method and device for providing haptic {Passive haptic module using paraffin, control method and haptic device

The present invention relates to a haptic module using a paraffin, and more particularly, to a haptic module, a haptic providing device and a control method using a paraffin that can provide a touch using a phase change of the paraffin.

Haptic is a tactile sensation that can be felt by a human finger or a stylus pen when touching an object, and includes haptic feedback that the skin touches the surface of an object and muscular sense feedback that is disturbed when movement of joints and muscles is disturbed. It is a concept. Haptic is used herein as such a generic concept.

In addition, haptic can be divided into passive haptic and active haptic according to the method. 'Active haptic' is a form in which a haptic device feels tactile by directly stimulating a finger while a haptic device is driven. Pressing it means a form that feels tactile by providing a reaction (eg stiffness) to it. Passive haptic in the present invention means this concept.

Haptic devices using haptics have the same characteristics as touching an actual object (such as a button) when a user touches a virtual object (such as a button display on a window screen). It is most ideal to play it. In order to improve the performance of the haptic device, a device using a motor and a link mechanism such as giving a vibration of a mobile phone has been used.

In recent years, haptic phones, etc., which have gained much attention, have a technical limitation in providing a tactile feeling of actually touching an object by simply implementing vibration on an input.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a haptic module using paraffin, a control method, and a haptic providing device, which provide a tactile feeling as when touching an actual object.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a haptic module, a control method and a haptic providing apparatus which can be miniaturized by controlling the haptic module with low heat supply and efficiently in controlling paraffin.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a haptic module, a control method, and a haptic providing device that can be widely used in various electronic / communication devices, robots, game devices, etc. by measuring a pressed force and providing haptic feedback accordingly. have.

An object of the present invention as described above, the chamber portion is included in the paraffin, at least one surface is formed flexibly;

A heater unit for supplying heat to paraffin; And

Included in the lower portion of the chamber portion, the receiving film for receiving the pressing of the paraffin phase-changed by the heat supply of the heater portion or to return to the inside of the chamber portion, including,

The pressing of the chamber part is changed based on the phase change of the paraffin according to the heat supply degree of the heater part, thereby achieving the haptic to the user by using a passive haptic module using paraffin.

In addition, the upper surface of the chamber portion may be flexibly formed.

In addition, the chamber portion may be composed of a polymer, silicon, a synthetic resin material or a rubber material.

In addition, the lower portion of the receiving membrane may further include a limiting plate perforated in a predetermined position to accommodate the pressing of the paraffin by the user.

In addition, the heater unit may use a micro heater.

In addition, it is preferable to use an elastic membrane so that the receiving membrane can be stretched or restored to its original state by the pressing of the paraffin by the user.

In addition, the lower portion of the chamber portion is an open shape, the lower portion of the chamber portion may further include a support plate.

In this case, a receiving area is formed in the supporting plate to accommodate the pressing of paraffin.

An object of the present invention as described above, a plurality of passive haptic module using a paraffin is provided,

A housing in which a plurality of haptic modules are installed; And

A haptic providing apparatus having a passive haptic module using paraffins may include a control unit controlling a plurality of haptic modules.

In addition, the plurality of haptic modules may be partitioned by a heat insulating part.

In addition, the controller independently controls each of the plurality of haptic modules.

The control of the haptic module by the controller may be based on tactile data stored in advance.

In addition, the housing is provided with an external connection terminal, the control unit is controllable based on the tactile data input from the external device through the connection terminal.

An object of the present invention as described above is another category, the step of supplying heat to the heater unit paraffin provided in the chamber;

Increasing fluidity due to a phase change of paraffin by the supplied heat; And

In the control method of the passive haptic module using a paraffin, characterized in that it comprises a step of generating a haptic for pressing the upper surface of the chamber portion containing the paraffin having increased fluidity by increasing the receiving membrane, Is also achievable.

In addition, the stretching of the receiving membrane may be locally performed by a limiting plate having a predetermined position perforated.

In addition, the stretching of the receiving film is accommodated in the receiving area formed on the support plate; may be further included.

The method may further include recovering the chamber part including the paraffin by elasticity of the receiving membrane and the chamber part.

In addition, the fluidity changing step of the paraffin is the fluidity of the paraffin changes according to the change of heat supplied from the heater part, and the haptic of the haptic generation step is rigidity against the pressing of the upper surface of the chamber part.

And, the heat supply step, the step of detecting the strength of the force pressed from the force sensor; And controlling, by the controller, the heat supplied based on the detection signal of the force sensor.

Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present invention as described above, it is possible to provide a tactile feeling such as actually touching an object by using a phase change of paraffin.

In addition, the receiving film containing the paraffin pressurized by the user is configured to increase only in a predetermined region, thereby providing a small amount of heat and maximizing the haptic, thereby reducing power consumption.

In addition, there is an advantage that can be utilized in a variety of industries based on the low power and miniaturization possible.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known functions and configurations may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the description thereof will be omitted.

<Haptic module>

1 is an exploded perspective view of a haptic module according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the haptic module 100 using paraffin is a chamber portion including a paraffin (120) 110, a heater 150, a receiving film 130, and the like.

The chamber unit 110 is configured to contact the user's finger 1 or the stylus tip on the upper surface, and includes a paraffin 120 therein. The chamber part 110 is elastic in the vertical direction, and when the chamber part 110 is pressed by the finger 1, compression is easy, and when the finger 1 is released, the chamber part 110 can be restored to its original shape. More preferably, the upper surface of the chamber 110 is formed of a flexible material. As the material of the chamber 110, a polymer, silicon, a synthetic resin, or a rubber material may be used. The chamber unit 110 may have an open shape at the bottom thereof, and the chamber unit 110 may be manufactured in various shapes such as a hexagon and a cylinder.

The heater 150 is included in the chamber 110 and is a member supplying heat to the paraffin 120. As an example of the heater unit 150, the haptic module 100 can be miniaturized by using a micro heater.

The paraffin 120 included in the chamber 110 generates a phase change from solid to liquid by heat. That is, if there is no supply of heat to the paraffin 120, it exists as a solid, but when predetermined heat is supplied, the paraffin 120 is changed into a liquid. Since the fluidity increases as the phase changes into a liquid, the paraffin 120 is pressed downward when the user's finger 1 presses the upper surface of the chamber part 110. Therefore, the user's finger 1 may be provided with various haptics, such as a hard pressing feeling and a soft pressing feeling, depending on the degree of phase change of the paraffin 120 into the liquid. Paraffin 120 is because the degree of phase change in proportion to the heat supplied. Paraffin 120 has a fast phase change rate with respect to heat, and is suitable for the present invention.

The accommodation film 130 is provided between the lower surface of the chamber 110 and the support plate 160. That is, one surface of the receiving membrane 130 is a shape covering the lower surface of the chamber portion 110, the other surface is in contact with the support plate 160, more preferably, the limiting plate 140 before contacting the support plate 160 It is in contact with the shape. The receiving film 130 may be stretched downward by being pressed by the user's finger 1 by the paraffin 120 which has been phase-changed with a liquid, and may be restored to its original state when the user releases the finger 1 again. Use One example of the elastic material is a thin and tough polymer film, rubber film, silicon film, and the like.

The support plate 160 is provided below the receiving film 130, more preferably below the limiting plate 140. The support plate 160 may be made of a hard and light material. The support plate 160 serves as the overall support of the haptic module 100 and distributes the pressing force. The support plate 160 is provided with a receiving region 165 that can accommodate the stretching of the receiving membrane 130 pressed down. The receiving region 165 may be formed as a hole or a concave groove penetrating the support plate 160 as shown in FIG. 2. The receiving area 165 may be any shape and size as long as the finger 1 can accommodate the stretching of the receiving film 130.

The limiting plate 140 is provided between the receiving film 130 and the supporting plate 160. Unlike the receiving membrane 130 made of an elastic material, the limiting plate 140 is formed of a hard and thin plate having a predetermined area perforated 145. The limiting plate 140 serves to limit the elongation of the receiving film 130 extending downward to the perforated region 145. That is, as the upper portion of the chamber part 110 including the paraffin 120 phase-changed into a liquid is pressed, the receiving film 130 is blocked by the limiting plate 140 and the perforated region 145 of the limiting plate 140. ) Will increase only. Therefore, the local phase change of the paraffin 120 (eg, the change of paraffin near the perforation region) may provide a sufficient haptic to the user, thereby reducing power consumption.

In addition, the perforated area 145 of the limiting plate 140 and the receiving area 165 of the support plate 160 are formed at the same position, so that the receiving increases as the phase change of the paraffin 120 and the finger 1 are pressed. It is desirable to receive the membrane 130 efficiently.

The lower support plate 170 is provided below the support plate 160 to protect the receiving area 165 formed in the support plate 160 from external physical stimulus or contaminants.

<Haptic provision device>

Hereinafter, a haptic providing apparatus using the haptic module 100 having the same configuration as described above will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 3 is a perspective view of a haptic providing apparatus using a haptic module according to the present invention, Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. The haptic providing apparatus according to the present invention includes a plurality of haptic modules 100, a housing 300, a controller (not shown) having the above configuration.

The plurality of haptic modules 100 may be provided in a matrix form as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and may be variously configured according to a position for providing a haptic in a radial, annular, or spherical shape as necessary. .

The controller (not shown) is a device for controlling the plurality of haptic modules 100 and controls the plurality of haptic modules 100 independently. The controller is connected to the heater unit 150 of the haptic module 100 to control the heat generation degree of the heater unit 150.

The control of the heater unit 150 of the controller may be based on tactile data previously stored in the controller or based on tactile data input from an external device (eg, a USB memory). For example, the degree of phase change of paraffin 120 to provide a haptic feel like touching a rubber ball and a hard feeling like touching a wooden board is different. The degree of heat supply of the heater unit 150 and the electric control value of the heater unit 150 according to the difference of the degree may be stored in advance as a look-up table. The control unit generates an immediate control signal based on this data.

The housing 300 is a member in which a plurality of haptic modules 100 are accommodated. As shown in FIG. 3, an upper surface of the housing 300 is preferably open. An external connection terminal 310 is provided on the side of the housing 300 to configure an external device for inputting tactile data to the controller.

The heat insulation part 200 is provided inside the housing 300 in which the plurality of haptic modules 100 are accommodated. The thermal insulation unit 200 is to prevent the heat supply of the heater unit 150 included in the haptic module 100 provided in the other compartment to the haptic module 100 provided in any one compartment. In addition, this is to add efficiency to the phase change of the paraffin 120 included in the corresponding haptic module 100 receiving the control signal. The heat insulating part 200 may be formed of a plastic-based material, such as phenolic and Teflon, with a material or a heat insulating film.

<Control method>

Hereinafter, a control method of a passive haptic module using paraffin will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 6 is a flowchart of a control method according to the present invention, FIG. 5A is a state diagram of a haptic module before the paraffin 120 included in the haptic module 100 changes phase, and FIG. 5B is included in the haptic module 100. This is a state diagram of the haptic module after the paraffin 120 has changed phase.

As shown in FIGS. 5A and 6, when the finger 1 presses the upper surface of the chamber 110, the upper surface of the chamber 110 is made of a flexible material having a thin thickness but does not receive heat. Is a solid state and not easily pressed.

When the heater unit 150 supplies heat to the paraffins 120 by receiving a control signal from the control unit (S100), the paraffins 120 are phase-changed from solid to liquid, thereby increasing the fluidity of the paraffins 120 ( S200). At this time, when the user presses the upper surface of the chamber unit 110 with the finger 1, the paraffin 120 is pressed while the receiving membrane 130 provided on the lower portion of the paraffin 120 is stretched, so that the user feels softly pressed. It can be recognized (S300). The receiving membrane 130 extending downward passes through the perforated region 145 of the limiting plate 140 and occupies a space of the receiving region 165 formed in the supporting plate 160 (S400).

When the user removes the finger 1 from the upper surface of the chamber unit 110, the haptic module 100 returns to its original shape due to the restoring force by the elasticity of the accommodating membrane 130 and the chamber unit 110 (S500).

Since the progress of the phase change is changed in proportion to the heat supplied to the paraffin 120, the user who presses the chamber part 110 recognizes a haptic, that is, a change in rigidity. Therefore, by appropriately controlling the heater unit 150, the degree of phase change of the paraffin 120 can be controlled proportionally.

And, in order to effectively induce a change in the haptic module 100 while reducing the heat supplied to the paraffin 120, the support plate having a limiting plate 140 having a perforated region 145 and a receiving region 165 (160) can be utilized as appropriate. That is, when the diameters of the perforated region 145 and the receiving region 165 are large, the paraffin 120 which is phase-changed into a liquid state can be sufficiently accommodated so as to sufficiently accommodate the receiving membrane 130. You can recognize the haptic. On the other hand, if the diameters of the perforated region 145 and the receiving region 165 are small, even if the user pushes the upper surface of the chamber 110 slightly, the space of the perforated region 145 and the receiving region 165 may be occupied. So you can recognize the haptic feeling of elasticity.

<Variation example>

The haptic providing device using the haptic module according to the present invention is further provided with a flexible display, and can be used in electronic / communication devices such as mobile phones and PDAs.

In addition, in the haptic module according to the present invention, when the heater unit 150 is a position capable of supplying predetermined heat to the paraffin 120, as shown in FIG. 1, when provided in the upper portion of the limiting plate 140. It is not limited to.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the above-mentioned preferred embodiments, it is possible to make various modifications or variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the appended claims will cover such modifications and variations as long as they fall within the spirit of the invention.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a haptic module using paraffin according to the present invention;

2 is a side cross-sectional view of FIG.

3 is a perspective view of a haptic providing apparatus according to the present invention,

4 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 3;

Figure 5a is a side cross-sectional view when the heat is not supplied to the paraffin included in the haptic module according to the present invention,

Figure 5b is a side cross-sectional view when the heat is supplied to the paraffin included in the haptic module of Figure 5a,

6 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a haptic module according to the present invention.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

1: finger

110: chamber portion

120: paraffin

130: receiving film

140: Limited Edition

145: perforated area

150: heater unit

160: support plate

165: receiving area

170: lower support plate

Claims (19)

Paraffin is included therein, the chamber portion at least one surface is formed flexibly; A heater unit for supplying heat to the paraffins; And Included in the lower portion of the chamber, the receiving film for receiving the pressing of the paraffin phase-changed by the heat supply of the heater portion or to return to the inside of the chamber; Passive haptic module using a paraffin, characterized in that to provide a haptic to the user by changing the pressing of the chamber portion based on the phase change of the paraffin according to the heat supply degree of the heater. The method of claim 1, Passive haptic module using a paraffin, characterized in that the chamber portion is formed in a flexible upper surface. The method of claim 1, The chamber part is a passive haptic module using a paraffin, characterized in that the polymer, silicon, synthetic resin material or rubber material. The method of claim 1, Under the receiving membrane, Passive haptic module using a paraffin, characterized in that it further comprises; limiting plate perforated a predetermined position to accommodate the pressing of the paraffin by a user. The method of claim 1, Passive haptic module using a paraffin, characterized in that the heater unit is a micro heater. The method of claim 1, The receiving membrane is a passive haptic module using a paraffin, characterized in that the elasticity to be stretched or restored to the original state by the pressing of the paraffin by the user. The method of claim 1, The lower portion of the chamber portion is an open shape, Passive haptic module using paraffin, characterized in that the lower portion of the chamber further comprises a support plate. The method of claim 7, wherein Passive haptic module using a paraffin, characterized in that the receiving plate is formed with a receiving area for receiving the pressing of the paraffin. A plurality of passive haptic module using a paraffin according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is provided, A housing in which the plurality of haptic modules are installed; And Haptic providing device having a passive haptic module using a paraffin, characterized in that it comprises a control unit for controlling the plurality of haptic module. The method of claim 9, The haptic module having a passive haptic module using a paraffin, characterized in that the plurality of haptic module is partitioned by a heat insulation. The method of claim 9, The control unit has a haptic device having a passive haptic module using a paraffin, characterized in that for controlling each of the plurality of haptic modules independently. The method of claim 9, The control of the haptic module by the control unit is a haptic providing device having a passive haptic module using paraffin, characterized in that based on the pre-stored tactile data. The method of claim 9, The housing is provided with an external connection terminal, The control unit is a haptic providing device having a passive haptic module using a paraffin, characterized in that the controllable based on the tactile data input from the external device through the connection terminal. The heater unit supplies heat to the paraffin provided in the chamber portion; Increasing fluidity due to the phase change of the paraffin by the supplied heat; And When the upper surface of the chamber portion including the increased paraffinity is pressurized to increase the receiving membrane, the haptic generated for the pressing of the upper surface of the chamber portion; generating a passive haptic module using a paraffin Control method. The method of claim 14, The control method of the passive haptic module using paraffin, characterized in that the stretching of the receiving membrane is made locally by a limiting plate perforated a predetermined position. The method of claim 14, And receiving the stretched film in the receiving area formed on the support plate. The control method of the passive haptic module using paraffin further comprising: a. The method of claim 16, Restoring the chamber portion including the paraffin by the elasticity of the receiving membrane and the chamber portion; Control method of a passive haptic module using a paraffin further comprising. The method of claim 14, In the fluidity changing step of the paraffin, the fluidity of the paraffin is changed according to the change of heat supplied from the heater, The haptic of the haptic generation step is a control method of a passive haptic module using paraffin, characterized in that the rigidity against the pressing of the upper surface of the chamber. The method of claim 14, The heat supply step, Detecting the strength of the force pressed from the force sensor; And The control unit controls the heat supplied based on the detection signal of the force sensor; Control method of a passive haptic module using a paraffin further comprising.

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